Valley National Bank Building (Tucson, Arizona)
| Industry | Banking |
|---|---|
| Predecessor | Consolidated National Bank of Tucson |
| Founded | 1901 |
| Fate | Acquired by Bank One in 1993; branch closed in 2023 |
| Headquarters | Tucson , United States |
| Products | Banking services |
The Valley National Bank Building holds the distinction of being Tucson, Arizona's earliest skyscraper. Erected in 1929, this structure was designed by architects Percy A. Eisen and Albert R. Walker. Its second floor has traditionally accommodated administrative offices, and since September 12, 2003, it has been officially recognized on the National Register of Historic Places.
History
In March 1901, the Consolidated National Bank of Tucson purchased the bank property along with neighboring lots from General Levi Howard Manning. The initial bank building, created by Henry Trost, was torn down to allow construction of a larger establishment. Following a $100,000 expansion in 1917, the bank adopted the Corinthian architectural style that was prevalent among financial institutions during that period.
The year 1928 saw Consolidated National commission Tucson’s inaugural skyscraper, completed in 1929 at a cost of $1 million. This building featured 3,000 safety deposit boxes, underscoring both its considerable size and Tucson’s increasing prosperity. In 1935, The Valley Bank and Trust from Phoenix acquired Consolidated National, creating the Valley National Bank of Arizona. This edifice became a symbol of status for its influential business proprietors and clientele.
Additionally, the building served as a filming site for the 1956 film A Kiss Before Dying, which was shot locally in Tucson.
In 1993, Bank One took over Valley National Bank; following Chase’s acquisition of Bank One in 2004, a branch remained operational within the building until its closure on December 6, 2023.
Architecture
Located downtown Tucson, the building’s facade extends 127 feet along Stone Avenue and 65 feet on Congress Street. It rises ten stories tall and is composed of a three-part vertical block with a basement. The ground floor is notably high, housing banking offices with a mezzanine level and further offices above. The construction incorporates a fire-resistant steel framework combined with poured concrete megaliths.
This building is an example of late Italian Renaissance Revival architecture inspired by the 1893 Columbian Exposition held in Chicago. Inside, decorative elements include floral motifs representing America as the "New Eden," complemented by ceiling murals depicting themes of manifest destiny painted by Los Angeles muralist Anthony Heinsbergen.
The north and west facades are clad in brick and cream-colored terra cotta. The uppermost section is finished with a traditional cornice and an Italianate overhang painted brown. This overhang features black-and-red geometric patterns influenced by Native American designs from the Southwest.
Within the bank lobby, walls are adorned in grey-green hues beneath a coffered ceiling supported by beams carved with floral designs. The ceiling murals display geometric neoclassical patterns rendered in red, rose, green, blue, and gold leaf.
The mezzanine level—reserved solely for bank use—houses three rooms: the director's office belonging to T. N. McCauly with walls paneled in polished Bataan mahogany; a ladies’ room furnished with wicker seating and illuminated by two original crystal chandeliers.
Annex
Next to the main tower stands a three-story annex built in 1912. This adjoining structure underwent renovations in 1953 and received further updates in 1960. Its exterior features concrete panels complemented by terrazzo tile surfaces.